Combined match and cigarette container



tres

This invention relates to a combined match and cigarette container. i

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a cigarette box to which a match folder is attached in such a manner that it will be rigidly retained against movement on the box when striking the match upon the striking surface of the folder.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined cigarette box and match folder container in which the match folder has limited vertical movement and is adapted to serve in its elevated position as a lock for holding the cover of the cigarette box closed.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a cigarette box adapted to hold a match folder wherein the assembling of the match folder upon the cigarette box can be effected in a simple and easy manner and that when the match folder is closed it readily forms an integrated part of the assembly.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a combined cigarette and match container having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, readily adapted for the standard components, inexpensive to include therewith, provides for a rigid assembly, requires no additional parts, renders the assembly compact, eflicient and effective in use.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined vby the appended claims.

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the combined cigarette and match container with the match folder elevated from a dotted line position to serve as a lock for the top cover,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cigarette box and of the match container positioned in readiness to be assembled upon the box,

tate the threading of match cover front andl back portions 22 and 23 therethrough in the manner as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The match folder has a folded top edge 24 and a lip 25 bearing a striking surface. Safety matches 27 extend from under the lip 25 and downwardly over the front face of the box. These matches are held within the folder by staples 28 in the usual manner.

When the match folder is pulled home the upper edge 24 will lie within the recess afforded by the cut away edge 20 and beneath the edge 18 of the cover 13 when the cover is closed and in such a manner as to lock the folder in place against vertical movement while at the same time it is held against lateral shifting movement between `the cut edges 20 and 20 so that with the cover held down by a linger and with the box in the hand the match folder will be rigidly retained and held upon the cigarette box to provide a fixed striking surface 26 against which the matches can be struck in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5.

The slit 21 is spaced from the cut away edge 20 to allow the match folder to have limited vertical adjustment upwardly as illustrated in FIG. 1 in order that the top edge can overlie the front of the cover 13 and provide thereby a lock to hold the cover 13 closed upon the body 12. When the cover is to be opened to gain -access to the cigarettes 16 the match folder 11 is lowered to the dotted line position 11' shown in FIG. 1 and upon the cut away edge 20 and in place for the removal of a match from the fo-lder.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a combined cigarette and match container in which the match folder will be held in place by the cover when removing a match therefrom and when striking a match upon the striking surface of the folder.

It will also be apparent that the match folder may serve to lock the cover upon the box in its closed position.

While various changes may be made in the detail cont struction, it shall be understood that such chan-ges shall FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the cigarette box with the match folder in the process of being pulled through the slit in the front of the box,

fFIG. 4 is a perspective view of 4the cigarette box with the cover open and with the match folder opened and held while a match is being pulled therefrom, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cigarette box with the cover closed and the match folder retained in place by the edge of the cover to hold it rigid as a match is struck upon the striking surface of the folder.

Referring now to the figures, 10 and 11 respectively represent the cigarette box and match folder that comprise the component parts of the combined container assembly. The box has a bottom body 12, a top cover 13, hingeable on the back thereof, a stiff body insertion 14 with a cut away front edge 15 to provide ready access to cigarettes 16 when tin foil cover 17 has been pulled therefrom.

The cover 13 has a front edge 18 that is adapted to over-lie a front edge 19 that has a cut away edge 20, equal in length to the width of the match folder and affording vertical side edges 20 and 20 so spaced apart.

Lying below the cut away edge 20 and parallel therewith there is struck in the front of a box a transversely extending slit 21 having a rounded central extension 21 to accommodate a thumb so that the box front therebelow can be depressed to spread the slit 21 and thereby facilibe within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

yWhat is claimed is:

In combination, a cigarette box body open at the top and having a cut away front top edge to provide a recess therewithin, a stiff body insert lying within the cigarette box body and overlying the recess, a ip top cover hinged upon the back of the box body and having a front lower edge overlying the cut away front edge of the box body when the cover is closed thereover, said box body having a horizontal slit in the front thereof underlying the cut away front edge of the box body and parallel thereto a substantial distance of more than one half the height of a match folder, a match folder having front and back portions threaded over the cut away front edge of the box body and through said slit and with the matches overlying the front face of the body, said match folder having a folded top edge and depending lip striking portion underneath which the front portion is extended to close the match folder, said cut away front top edge recess of the box body having opposing side edges spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the match folder so that the match folder is restrained against lateral displacement on the front of the box, a fastener downwardly spaced from lthe top edge of the match folder for securing the lip portion and matches to the back portion and engageable with the front cut away edge of the box bodyrto hold the match folder top edge elevated in the recess flush with the top of the opposing side edges of the recess, the said top edge of the match folder thereby lying within the recess afforded by the cut away front top edge of the box body and beneath the front edge of the cover to be engaged thereby, said horizontal slit having an upwardlyextending central rounded part providing a thumb extension adapted to be depressed to spread the slit and facilitate the threading of the match cover front and back portions therethrough, whereby the match folder will be restrained by the cover against vertical displacement by merely holding the cover closed upon the box body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,787,499 Tinsley Ian. 6, 1931 4 Phillips Ian. 3, 1933 McPherson May 17, 1938 Crawford July 2, 1940 Donnelly Oct. 21, 1941 Fowler Oct. 15, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 29, 1931 Australia Dec. 1, 1939 

